ILOILO City – The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) on May 28 approved on first reading a proposed ordinance granting benefits and privileges to city residents that reach the age of 90 and 95.
These senior citizens must have resided here for at least five years and are recognized active members of the Office of Senior Citizens.
Under the proposed ordinance, those aged 90 years old shall receive P5,000 and those aged 95, P10,000.
“Naobserbahan gid naton that (if we wait for) the government benefits for centenarians, daw ka-useless na for them to enjoy because at that age the beneficiaries are mostly already bedridden, suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or hospitalized,” said Councilor Lyndon Acap, author of the proposed ordinance.
The proposed measure acknowledged that living to almost a century old is very challenging in these modern times, and maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle has become a great endeavor.
City government records showed that in 2018 a total of 59,293 senior citizens were registered in the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs here; of these, 488 died from July to December 2018.
“Nakita naton nga ang aton senior citizens nagakinahanglan man sang dyutay nga benepisyo sa ila pagpangabuhi and support and for medicines,” Acap stressed.
The covered elderly should present his or her birth certificate or Philippine passport to prove his entitlement of the incentives under the ordinance.
In the absence of the above-mentioned documents, other documents may also be required such as Senior Citizens Identification Card issued by the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs indicating the year of birth, marriage certificate, birth certificate of children, barangay certificate or clearance, among others.
The ordinance requires the city government to appropriate an amount of P1 million for the said purpose and every year thereafter to necessarily implement the provision of the ordinance subject to existing accounting and auditing procedures./PN
Godd morning po..paano po ba mag process for senior citizen to avail benefits for my lola at the age of 95..hanggang ngayon hindi pa siya pwedi makakuha nang dahil mabagal pa yung process sa Guimbal iloilo….Single pa po lola ko wala pa sigang pamilya kmi po ng aalaga sa kanya at matanda na din po siya…sana po matulungan niyo din po kmi…Salamat po….